Blog 20: origins ~ ADOPTED SLOTHS, HAND-CRAFTED FROGS, AND SO MUCH MORE...

4creaturecomforts
5 days ago
11 min read

Updated: 8 hours ago

I left baby Tino with my Dad in late March of 2004 to travel to Reno, Nevada, for a metaphysical show with Creature Comforts. I stayed with dear friends, Audrey & Wolf, in picturesque Genoa, the home of the Pony Express, which started in 1860, facilitating communications and mail delivery between California and Missouri.

Geddy and little dog Starr in Panama had adopted a sloth, Jessica. An ex-pat friend, living close by in Cacique, operated a sloth rescue. Sadly, baby sloths often fall from tree tops, getting separated from their Moms. Typically, this wouldn’t go well, but Dave’s rescue was a blessing. Jessica’s favorite food was hibiscus flowers, and her favorite pastime was hugging a human. Geddy gave her a teddy bear to hug when he wasn’t available. Starr was a bit jealous, which led to an altercation one day while driving in his jeep. This caused a minor accident that took out the windshield...it was never replaced!

Geddy and little dog, Starr, in Panama, had adopted a sloth, Jessica.

One of my show buddies from Lopez Island imported products from Indonesia. Keith, known as Hawk, moved to Yogyakarta on the island of Java, Indonesia, in 2003, to live with his girlfriend, Kiyo. Our importing styles were similar in quality and quirkiness. We explored the concept of him procuring goods for me. He researched the markets in Java, Bali, Lombok, Timor, and Sumatra, sending me photos by email with prices and dimensions for me to approve or not. I was delighted! I could continue with my shows and life while he did the legwork for me. This was a long process, taking more than two months to complete our first container. It went so well that we did a repeat venture in 2005 as well. He never disappointed me. We had categories for wood carvings, bronze pieces, antiques, furniture, baskets, batik clothing, Ikat weavings, carved marble slabs, and large volcanic stone garden statues. These were so popular that on the second container, many were on special order. The carving of the Singha Lion with my cat Tibet on top is now with dear friends Kim and Rod. Wood carvings are a specialty of Bali, typically in suar, hibiscus, crocodile, and Waru woods. The ikat, meaning “tie”, weavings came mostly from Timor, while the Wayang shadow puppets came from Java, as did the masks. The red mask is an antique ceremonial mask, while the mask with the mouth mirror is Batara Kala, the God of the underworld.

Robbi returned from her stint working in Crete mid-summer. Her shipment arrived shortly after, which included the goods I bought in Crete that originated mostly from New Guinea.

My friends Audrey and Wolf had started doing a small metaphysical show a year earlier in Yachats on the coast of Oregon. They fell in love with the area and bought a little cabin there in a gorgeous cove surrounded by dramatic cliffs. I was invited to stay with them while we all vended at the show. It was easy to make friends with the locals, a tight community.

Here, Audrey and I are at the beach with one of those new friends who crafted jewelry, some of which I still have today.

Audrey and I are at the beach with one of those new friends who crafts jewelry.

Geddy and Starr came back at the end of the summer to help me with some of the big shows like Seattle’s famous Bumbershoot and the Tibet Fest, both held at the Seattle Center. Geddy manned a small table near the booth filled with percussion frogs from Thailand. He became known as the Frog Man. These little hand-carved frogs can be played to make the sound of frogs delighting people of all ages. Their varying sizes create a wide range of chirps. He would play them, drawing crowds who never resisted. Over several years at Bumbershoot, we sold thousands of these critters.

On the home front, I made a huge decision to allow Keely, my tiny lead mare mini horse, to go live with new friends Cat and Richard near Boise, Idaho. Her allergy to sugar made her life miserable in the Northwest, where we have an abundance of green grass rich in sugar. She was ready to retire her green hornet sleazy and move to the dry pastures of Idaho. Once there, she was renamed Madge, the gossip. She was integrated into a large herd of horses separated into sections with rail fencing. Tiny Madge could maneuver through these rail fences while the horses could not. She assumed the role of gossip, roving between various groups, sharing secrets. I visited her at the end of September on my way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to do yet another healing arts show. It was delightful to see her healthy and deeply involved with her new family.

Jackson Hole in the fall is splendid with the autumn leaves and warm breezes. The show was rich in sales and time spent with friends. I even won a raffle, a night at the 4 Seasons, which I saved for the following year. I already had plans to enjoy the Tetons and Yellowstone on a road trip with my trusty Tino along for the ride on our way back home.

Dad’s Alzheimer’s was escalating to a point where I needed to rethink many things. With Keely leaving the herd, I realized that caring for the horses was energy and time I needed for tending to my dad. When friends Kim and Rod introduced me to Cat and Richard, they fell in love with Rasta. Rasta moved to their SkyeLandeSea Farm at the end of November, where I could see him whenever I wanted. They renamed him Raven. Nakita, the last mini here, moved to my neighbors, Rick and Kate’s Farm. Nikki’s new companion was a huge horse named Guinness. They made quite a pair. On the first night away, a sensor light showed me that Nikki had run home. When I went out to find her, she had gone from the front pasture to the back pasture, where she found Lady as the solo horse. Rick was running after her. Once she saw Lady, she stopped and was easy to gently halter. Once she saw that Lady was there, she relaxed and never ran home again.

At the request of a Port Townsend friend, I agreed to meet someone he thought I would enjoy, Dee Tour de Monde. Dee lived on Marrowstone Island. Tino and I went to her house for dinner in late December. We became instant friends. She was a retired API travel writer, and our travel spirits intertwined in a flash. Over our first meeting, we planned a trip to Italy in early 2005. She owned a 3,500-year-old Etruscan home in one of the hill towns of Tuscany, Cetona, in the southern part of Siena, where Umbria and Lazio meet.

The year 2005 started with a visit from Hawk. This gave us a great opportunity to review the first container he prepared for me from Indonesia and fine-tune purchases for the next one. Winter shows included a trip to Boise, Idaho, for a Body, Mind, Spirit Show as well as the Good Earth Home Show and the Aian Festival in Portland. Dad had surgery in early February. He unexpectedly needed to have a stent implanted in his heart. This went well, but it was concerning as I was about to depart for a month in Italy. My angel neighbors organized a rotating meal delivery and checked in with him twice a day during my travels. He was well cared for, loved the attention, and I was able to travel with a clear conscience. I traveled to Rome on February 9th. I took a train to Cetona in the snow. Dee didn’t meet me at the train due to the snow. I went to the main Plaza Garibaldi, found a pub, and they called. It wasn’t long before she appeared!

This medieval hilltown sits on Mt. Cetona.

The charming town consists of steep, narrow cobblestone streets, seemingly impossible for cars to pass. Here you can see Dee’s ancient home and also the walkway leading to it. Dee has her little poodle, Ricco, with her, and yes, that is corn hanging from the buildings!

Our first trip was to the close by town of Chiusi, to visit the Archeology Museum whose curator, Vincenzo, was Dee’s close friend. I was surprised when he allowed me to take endless pictures that were not allowed, until I realized that he was flirting with me. He was very persistent, and we did spend several days together traveling the Tuscany landscape in his little sports car while he showed me endless historical sites. His impressive knowledge of art and history made him a perfect guide. We first visited the hot springs of Bagno Vignon, known for its 125°F medicinal waters that reportedly heal osteoporosis, arthritis, and skin conditions. On to San Quirico d’Orcia, another Tuscan hilltop village with the Romanesque cathedral, Collegiata, with well-worn lion sculptures at the entrances. The Church of San Francesco hosts the famous statue of the Madonna by Andrea della Robbia.

We continued driving through winding country roads with vineyards, olive groves, green hills, cypress trees, leading to the mystic Abbey of Sant Antimo, set in isolation, surrounded by wheat fields.

Once there, you are enveloped by a whispering silence. The monks chant seven times a day, living their motto, Now, lege et labora, Play and Work. Dee and I made it a daily ritual to drive over Mt. Cetona to Sarteano to enjoy an early morning soak in the hot springs there, a meeting place for friends and locals, before beginning our daily touring of the area hilltowns. First, we went to Montepulciano, walking the main street, Porta Al Prato, Piazza del Capitano, Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, and, of course, a visit to a winery.

The most enchanting hilltown, Civita di Bagnoregio, in the Lazio region south of Cetona, is built on a volcanic tuff tower. It is often called the City in the Sky as well as the Dying City due to its eroding landscape. The entrance is a long, steep pedestrian footbridge. Inside the entrance gate is an intricate labyrinth of medieval alleys, small squares, and ancient stone buildings. Only a handful of residents live there now. People started leaving after an earthquake in 1695. This is the birthplace of philosopher and theologian, Saint Bonaventure. He is honored about town and at the church of San Donato. A perk of traveling with a career travel writer is her access to travel deals. We stayed at the Hotel Della Fortezza, which is inside the old Orsini Fortress in Sorano. The castle was built in the 13th century by the Aldobrandeschi family and later enlarged by the Orsini family.

We took a train to Florence, where we stayed with friends of Dee’s in their charming farmhouse just outside the city. I had fallen in love with Florence when I visited years ago, and I was not disappointed on my return. We visited the Uffizi Gallery ( of course!), the extraordinary Galleria Palatina at the Pitti Palace, viewed the Duomo of Florence, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Arnolfo Tower, walked over the Ponte Vecchio on the Arno River, and enjoyed the street scenes and shops.

Dee and I, both fascinated by the mask craft of Florence, purchased some...here are mine.

Back in Cetona, our social schedule was full of dinners and Sunday walks with friends. At one of our dinners with friends, Graciella and Matteo, I learned how to make vodka penne (Yum!) and discovered that many Italians have a deep fascination with our Wild West. It surprised me that Matteo knew more in-depth history of our frontier culture than most Americans. I was soon to leave for Venice. Vincenzo had become a bit possessive and was worried about me traveling solo. I had to be firm, reminding him that travel was my middle name as an importer. I wanted to do something especially nice for Dee for hosting such a lovely trip. She had told me that the Convento di San Francesco in Cetona, built in 1212, offered exclusive 9-course dinners. It was the perfect treat!

We were greeted by Padre Eligio, who guided us on our private tour of the art. What was once a convent is now home to Mondo X, a community dedicated to the recovery of drug addicts. There is no fee for a stay here, but generous gifts of outstanding art have become common in exchange for treatment. We ate in what was the old prison with only one other couple. Nine courses of the most exquisite food were served over many hours, paired with the perfect wines...dinner at La Frateria di Padre Eligio was a unique culinary experience, one that I have never topped.

On to Venice….pure magic!

I wish I could show all my photos! I spent less time inside museums than outside, marveling at the never-ending romantic, picturesque canals and architecture. I walked endlessly along the canals, over bridges, down small alleys, taking in public art and outstanding buildings. I was blessed to be traveling there in March before the huge tourist crowds. I visited the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, the Leonardo di Vinci Museum, Piazza San Marco with the ornate St Mark’s Basilica, the 18th-century palace of Ca’Rezzonico, and the Museo Storico Navale displaying extraordinary antique gondolas. I took a water taxi to the island of Murano in the Venetian lagoon to explore the famous Murano glass. The isolation of glassmakers there in the 13th century protected the development of their secret, unique techniques, now synonymous with the name Murano glass. I still treasure the few pieces I purchased there.

Rome is the last stop on this journey. I discovered the most delightful place to stay: The Hotel Residenza San Paolo VI, in the heart of the Eternal City, Vatican City. ..located within the guarded high walls of the Augustinian order. Not only was the location perfect, but they have a terrace with an unparalleled view of St Peter’s Basilica and the Apostolic Palace with classical music playing gently in the background. The staff were awesome, the food delicious, and the rooms divine!

Since I had spent time in Rome years earlier, my list of attractions to visit was short. I was content to enjoy St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. Walking the Ponte Sant’Angelo ( Holy Angel Bridge) with its ten angel statues at the bridge’s parapets was a treat. This gorgeous bridge, built in 134 A.D., has five arches and a grand view of Castel Sant Angelo. This structure was built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian in 139 A.D., but has played many roles in the evolution of Rome.

Returning home to Dad, Tino, and my Lady horse was sweet. But I left a few weeks later at the end of April to spend the first week on Maui with Betsy and then a second week on the Big Island with Susie. Creature Comforts shows took over the summer months. I went to Victoria for a brief trip with Priscilla and her two nieces in August...super fun! Geddy, the “frog man,” returned in late August, as usual, to help out with the fall shows. On the way to my annual Jackson Hole show, I stayed with Cat and Richard near Boise, Idaho, in order to see Keely, now Madge, again in her new setting. That made my Heart sing...she adapted so well. At the Jackson Hole show, I sold an intricately beaded horse hood from the Rabari tribe of Gujarat, India, to a new friend, Connie. After the show, I traveled with a show friend, Azara, for a few days in Montana: first, the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, on to Missoula, then Folsom on Flathead Lake, before we ended in Spokane for a Conscious Living Show. Azara and I signed up for a Holiday Show in Jackson Hole in November. This is when I took advantage of my raffle winning and we stayed at the 4 Seasons Hotel.

When I got home, the second Indonesian container from Hawk arrived. Busy times, dealing with all those new goods, holiday shows, and preparing for being on the Hansville Home Tour on December 16th. There were over 400 people who came through the house and toured “the Barn” store. I had docents at every door. Dad and I flew off to Maui for a Christmas vacation the next day, visiting with my friend Susie. I found this trip very difficult due to the advancement of his Alzheimer’s, but I love my memories of our time there.

Stay tuned for the next chapter in 4Creature Comforts Origins story... in the meantime, be sure to stop by and say hello at our next Open House scheduled for November 15 & 16, 2025.

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